Apparatus for applying marks to elevated surfaces



Dec. 29, 1964 E. D. ocoNNELL ETAL 3,152,957

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MARKS TO ELEVATED SURFACES Filed Oct. l, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet` 1 2a F/G. I

Dec. 29;I 1964 E. D. ocoNNELL ETAL 3,162,957

APPARATUS FOR APFLYING MARKS TO ELEVATED SURFACES Filed ot. 1, 1962 3 sheets-shea 2 H54 Y m6 Dec. 29, 1964 E. D. OCONNELL ETAL APPARATUS FOR APPLYING MARKS TO ELEVATED SURFACES Filed Oct. l, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent O 3,l6Z,957 APPARATUS FR APPLYING MARKS T ELEVAZIED SURFACES Edward D. @Connell and Kathryn ltd. QConneil, both of dit@ Castor Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. Filed 9ct. l, 1962, Ser. N 227,3'13 6 Claims. (Ul. .3S-lt) This invention relates to an apparatus for and method of establishing the location of predetermined points on a vertically elevated surface such as a ceiling or roof as an aid in positioning lighting fixtures, air conditioning outlets, piped music outlets and the like, and for applying a mark or for penetrating the surface at such predetermined points, as required.

Diiliculty has been encountered in the past in locating predetermined points on a high ceiling or roof surface for the proper location of lighting fixtures, air conditioning outlets, and the like, in new or existing building structures. The prior art methods of locating such points have involved the use of cumbersome apparatus such as ladders and other equipment, and the making of the necessary measurements on the ceiling or roof surface while standing on ladders as required by the proir art has been a diliicult and tedious operation.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus for and a method of locating points on elevated surfaces such as ceilings and roofs, which represent an improvement over prior art apparatus and methods for this purpose.

Another object of this invention is to provide an accurate and eihcient apparatus for and method of transferring a mark from a given point on a floor surface to a corresponding point on the surface of a ceiling or the like.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tool for projecting a point from a predetermined location on a door surface to a corresponding location on -an elevated ceiling surface or the like, in which the tool is economical to manufacture and can he sold at a moderate price.

ln achievement of these objectives, there is provided in accordance with this invention an apparatus for and method of projecting a point onto an elevated surface such as a ceiling or roof and for causing a mark to be applied at the predetermined point or for causing the surface of the ceiling or roof to be penetrated at the predetermined point. The tool includes a hollow cylindrical casing or barrel which receives a suitable projectile. The projectile is propelled upwardly through the barrel by either an explosive propellant or by a spring force, and into engagement with the ceiling or the like on which the point is to be located. The tool includes a means such as a plumb line and attached plumb bob for plumbing the cylindrical casng to a perfectly vertical position before the projectile is released. An important feature of the constructon is the use of a burnable fuse which causes either an explosive or mechanical release of the projectile when the burning of the fuse is completed. Use of the fuse for releasing the projectile avoids the necessity of employing a latch or other mechanical means for effecting the release of the projectile which would necessitate touching the tool after it has been plumbed, thereby insuring that the tool remains in perfectly vertical position after it has been plumbed.

Further objects and Yadvantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE l is an elevation view, partially in section, of a tool in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevation View, partially broken away, of ya modiiied tool in which the releasable barrel is supported from a bracket mounted on the tool casing;

Patented Bec. 29, i954 lCC FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the tool of FIG- URE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an elevation view of a still further moditied type of tool using a lirecracker type propellant for the projectile;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the tool of FIG- URE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view in vertical section of the tool of FIGURES 4 and 5;

FIGURE 7 is an elevation view, partially in section, of -a still further modiiied type of tool using a spring to eject the projectile;

FIGURE 8 is a top plan View of the tool of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a side elevation view, partially cut away, of the tool of FIGURES 7 and 8.

Referring now to the drawing, the marking tool of the invention is generally indicated at 10 and includes a circular base plate l2 preferably formed of a suitable metal such as steel or cast iron, and including three symmetrically positioned leveling screws 14, only one of which is shown in the drawing. The base plate 12 is provided with a centrally located threaded passage or aperture which 4receives the lower externally threaded end of a vertically upstanding hollow cylinder 1.6. A lock nut 118 is in threaded engagement with the external thread on the lower end of the hollow tubular cylinder or casing 16 and is tightened down into engagement with the upper surface of base plate l2 to securely lock casing 16 in rigid vertical position with respect to base plate 12. The detachable connection of casing 16 with respect to base plate 12 permits the tool to be disassembled for transportation and storage. However, where these factors are not important, the casing 16 could be made rigid and nondetachable with respect to base plate 12.

The upper surface of circular base plate 12 has two center lines scribed thereon along diameters lying at a degree angle with respect to each other, these center lines extending to the bottommost edge of base plate 12. As will be explained hereinafter the center lines on the base plate are used in centering the tool over a given point on the lloor which is to be projected to the ceiling surface.

The hollow casing 16 has a bore 20 of lesser internal diameter at lthe lower porti-on thereof and a bore 22 of slightly larger internal diameter above and communicating with bore 20. The junction between the upper and lower bores 22 and 2li denes an annular shoulder 24 which serves as a support for a ring pin holder 26 which supports a firing pin Z3. A tube or barrel 30 open at both of its opposite ends and having an outer diameter just slightly less than the inner diameter of the bore 22 of hollow casing 16 is slidably moveable in the bore 22. A cartridge generally indicated at 32 including an explosive powder charge and a pallet 34 is received in the lower open end of the barrel 36, with 4the pellet end of the cartridge being directed upwardly so that the pellet may be projected upwardly through the hollow barrel 30 when the cartridge 32 is exploded, as will be hereinafter expl-ained.

The barrel Sti is provided with a slot lor aperture 35 therein at a point spaced from the lower end of the han rel 39 by a distance such that a length of the barrel sufficient to provide stability to the barrel projects into and is supported by bore 22 at the upper end of casing 16.

A fuse 38 is received in the slot 36 of the barrel 30 and rests on the upper annular edge di) of casing 16 to .thereby support barrel 3d in the elevated pre-f1ring position shown in the drawing. The fuse-receiving aperture 36 in banrel 3l) should also be so positioned that the lower end of the barrel 3Q is supported at a suiciently elevated position that when the barrel drops through bore 22 upon atea,

completion of the burning of the fuse, the priming cap of cartridge 32 strikes `the firing lpin* 2S with sufficient force to explode the charge in the cartridge `to cause ejection of the pellet '54.

A plumbing bolt i2 is secured in threaded engagement with casing 16-adjacernt the upper end of the casing and perpendicular to the axis thereof, and a plumbing pin ist having an outer tapered point i6 is similarly secured in screw-threaded engagement with casing 16` adjacent the lower end of fthe casing and perpendicular to the axis of casing 16.A A monclilm plastic line d@ of about 3) lbs. test of the same type used for fishing lines is secured to plumbing -bolt 42 and carries at the l-ower end thereof a plumb bob 5t?. The monolm plastic line 48 offers very little resistance to air currents, thereby minimizing swaying of the line, and requires very little time for the plumb bob Sdto settle to a motionless position. The point of attachment of the plumb line i3 to the plumb bolt l2 adjacent the upper end of the casing 16 and the outer point 46 of the plumb pin adjacent the lower end of the casing i6 should both be exactly the same distance from the surface of the casing )i6 and perfectly aligned with each other along its vertical axis so that when plumb line 4S just barely touches the outer tip d6 of plumb pin 44 during the plumbing operation, as will be explained hereinafter, the person performing the plumbing operation will know that the casing i6 is exactly vertical.

In using the appanatus shown in the drawing to apply a mark to an elevated surface such as va ceiling or roof, the following procedure is used: A. mark is made on the floor surface corresponding to the location of the mark which is to be applied to the ceiling surface. Thus, for example, if a series of electrical youtlets are to be positioned on a ceiling of a building, the center line of the outlets is measured off .at each end of the building or in the room in which the outlets are to be located, and the center line is struck with chalk along the door surface lengthwise of the room. The location of each outlet is marked on the floor along the chalk line. At the mark corresponding to each `outlet along the chalk line, a transverse chalk line is marked at a 9G degree angle to the chalk center line by use of a carpenters square or the like. The tool of FIGURE 1 is then positioned overthe chalk center line and transverse chalk .line corresponding to a given outlet, and the center line scribings or marks on the tool base are lined up with the longitudinal and transverse chalk lines corresponding to the given outlet, thereby centering the tool over the marks on the floor corresponding to a given outlet.

With the barrel Sil withdrawn from the casing 16, the cartridge 32, including the propellant powder and pellet 34, is then inserted in the lower end of the barrel Sti. The fuse 33 is then inserted in the slot or aperture 36 in the barrel and the barrel is then lowered into the bore 22 of casing i6 until fuse 38 engages the upper annular edge 4u of the casing 16. Fuse 3d is preferably approximately one inch long and holds the barrel 30 in the elevated pre-ring position shown in the drawing.

With the barrel 39 positioned in the elevated pre-tiring position in bore 22 of casing 16 as shown in `the drawing, with cartridge 32 at the lower end of the bar-rel 35B, the marking device is ready for the plumbing operation. The leveling screws le are adjusted until the monofilm line 48 just barely touches the outer tip i6 of the plumbing pin 44, which indicates that the casing 16 is perfectly vertical.

Once the plumbing operation has been completed as just described, it is important that the tool not be touched since physical touching of the tool may move it out of plumb position, and any slight deviation of the tool from plumb position will result in an error in the projection of the marked point on the door to the ceiling, the error beingpmagnied in proportion to the height of the ceiling.

The fuse 38 is then lighted Vand when the fuse has burned past the inner surface of the upper annular edge 4d of casing i6, the barrel 3G is released and drops downwardly through the bore Z2 of casing i6 to cause the firing pin 2S `to strike the lprimer cap of the cartridge to .thereby ignite the explosive propellant in the cartridge. The pellet 34 at the upper end of the cartridge is projected upwardly by the explosive force through and outwardly from the barrel 3i? and strikes the ceiling surface above at a point which exactly corresponds to the point on the floor surface above which the tool is centered.

The propellant charge can be suitably adjusted in accordance with the height of the ceiling to cause a pellet to be ejected with suilicient force from the barrel E@ to mark the ceiling surface or to penetrate the ceiling surface as desired. The pellet may be provided with stutable marking material which will leave a mark on the ceiling.

The tool should preferably be so dimensioned that the upper end of the casing "i6 is aft a minimum height of approximately 51/2 feet above the floor surface.

.in a modified construction shown in FEGURES 2 and 3, bracket yarm generally indicated at e'f. is adjustably positioned in apertured lugs 53 on the `outer surface of cylindrical tubular casing i6 by means of adjustable seti screws 5d' which permit the bracket arm 52 vto be secured at a required vertical height. The bracket arm 52 extends upwardly above the upper end `of the casing `and terminates in an upwardly open loop 54. A string-like fuse 56 is connected to the loop 54 at the upper end of the bracket arm and is attached to a boit S3 or the like projecting laterally from barrel fdl adjacent the upper end thereof to thereby suspend the barrel Sil' in the casing 16. The tool just. described is plumbed in the same manner as previously described in connection with the embodiment of FIGURE l, and after the tool has been plumbed, the string-like fuse 56 is .the-n lighted and when the fuse 56 burns through, the barrel 3d drops into the casing i6' `in the manner previously described to cause a cartridge in the lower end :of the barrel fill to strike a firing `pin supported by the casing lf to thereby cause the ejection of `a pellet which marks or penetrates the ceiling surface as Ipreviously described.

The barrel 30 of the embodiment of FIGURE 1 and the barrel 36 of the embodiment of FIGURES 2-3, should both be so dimensioned relative to the respective casings lr6 and 16 that a short length of the barrel, such as a length of 3 inches, for example, projects above the upper end of the casing 16 or 16 after the barrel has dropped downwardly in the casing after the burning `of the fuse. This short length of the barrel 3@ or 30' which projects above the casing 16 or 16 after the ejection of the projectile facilitates grasping the barrel for a subsequent marking operation.

In a still further modified embodiment shown in FIG- URES 4, 5 and 6, the barrel 30 and thecartridge 32 of FIGURE l may be eliminated and the casing 16 of FIGURE 1 suitably modified to accommodate a firecracker-type propellant. As seen in FIGURES 4, 5 and 6, a hollow casing 60 is provided internally thereof with a stop or plug 62 secured in position by a pin 64 which extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of casing 60. Casing 69 is provided with a cut-out or opening 66 .approximately 2 inches high and extending for approximately 90 degrees of the circular periphery of the casing 69. Cutaout 66 has its lower edge at a level slightly above the upper surface of pin 64.

As best seen in FIGURE 6, a firecracker 68 rests in inverted position on the upper surface of plug 62, with the fuse 70 of the firecracker extending from the lower 21/2 inches high is positioned coaxially about casing 60, the lower end of sleeve 74 normally resting on the laterally projecting ends of pin 64. After the firecracker 68 and pellet 72 have been inserted through the opening 66 and placed in position as shown in FIGURE 6, sleeve 74 is lowered to close the opening 66 before the fuse is lighted. Sleeve 74 has a notch 76 opening upwardly from the lower edge thereof to permit the fuse 70 of the firecracker 68 to project outwardly for lighting. The pin 64 is shown in the view of FIGURE 6 rotated 90 degrees in a horizon-tal plane from its normal position relative to the sleeve and the firecracker in order to better illustrate pin 64 and its relation to plug 62. When sleeve 74 is in closed position, the lower edge of sleeve 74 rests on the upper surface of pin 64 and slot 76 and pin 72 are in positions displaced from each other by 90 degrees of the circumference of the casing 60, and the fuse 70 projects outwardly through cut-out 66 of casing 60 and through slot 76 of sleeve 74.

When the firecracker 63 explodes after burning of the fuse 70 is completed, the projectile 72 is ejected upwardly through the casing 6ft and is propelled vertically upwardly into contact with the ceiling surface where it will either make a mark or will penetrate the ceiling surface depending upon the force of the explosive material used in the firecracker.

The casing 60 of the embodiment of FIGURES 4, 5 and 6 is plumbed in the same manner as previously described in connection with the embodiment of FIGURE 1.

There is shown in FIGURES 7, 8 and 9, a still further modified embodiment of the invention in which the projectile is ejected by spring action. This modified embodiment includes a hollow tubular casing generally indicated at 86 and open at the upper end thereof and having diametrically opposed elongated slots 82 intermediate the height thereof. A spring seat or cup 84 is positioned interiorly of the casing S0 at a point below the lower end of the slot 82. Spring cup 34 is held fixed in position by means of a stationary pin S6 which projects through the oppositely disposed slots 82 and beyond the opposite walls of the casing as best seen in the View of FIGURE 9. A helical spring 88 is positioned interiorly of the casing t), with the lower end of the spring being seated on and retained by the spring seat or cup 84. The upper end of the spring 8S is retained in a spring seat or cup 96 which is slidably movable in casing S6. A pin 92 extends through the upper movable spring cup 96 and projects through the oppositely disposed slots 82 and beyond the opposite surfaces of the casing 80.

In using the spring-operated device of FIGURES 7, 8 and 9, a suitable projectile, such as the arrow 94, is Seated on the upper surface of the movable spring cup 90 and the spring 88 is compressed to the position shown in FIGURES 7 and 9 by pulling downwardly on the pin 92 until the pin 92 abuts against the lower ends of the oppositely disposed slots 82. The spring is held in the compressed position by means of a string-like fuse 96 which is looped around or otherwise suitably secured to movable spring pin 92 and to the stationary spring pin 84 to hold the spring S8 under compression. After the spring-operated device of FIGURES 7, 8 and 9 has been plumbed in the same manner as previously described in connection with the other embodiments of the invention and is ready for ring, fuse 96 is lighted, and when the fuse burns through, it releases the spring 88 from its compressed position to cause the spring to eject the projectile 94 from the casing 86 to cause the projectile to strike the ceiling or other elevated surface, The tip yof the projectile may carry a suitable coloring material if desired so as to make yan easily visible indication on the ceiling, or the projectile may be fired with sufficient force to penetrate the ceiling to a desired degree, -as determined by the strength of the spring 88.

All of the various forms of the invention utilize a fuse which is burned to release or to trigger the release of the projectile from a barrel or casing. The burning of the fuse to trigger the firing or ejection of the projectile, as used in all of the various embodiments of the invention, has the advantage that the triggering operation take place without the necessity of physically touching the apparatus once the apparatus has been plumbed. This is a very important advantage since any physical contact with the apparatus once it has been plumbed may cause considerable error in the point at which the projectile strikes the ceiling. By using a burnable fuse as previously described in connection with the various embodiments, no physical contact is necessary to trigger the release of the projectile, and hence the tool remains perfectly vertical once it has been properly plumbed.

The outer tubular casing of the tool shown in the drawings, such as casing 16 of FIGURE l, also has an auxiliary use as a true vertical plumb, once it has been plumbed, for sighting by eye any object being built or installed in or outside of a building. Sightings may be made through 360 degrees using the casing 16 as a vertical plumb.

It can be seen that the tool hereinbefore described in the various embodiments thereof and the method of the invention have great utility for locating predetermined points on a high ceiling or roof surface for the proper location of lighting fixtures, air conditioning outlets and the like, and avoids the use of cumbersome apparatus and methods required for such purposes in the prior art.

While there have been shown and described particular embodiments of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the ar-t that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention and, therefore, it is aimed to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim as our invention is:

l. In combination, a tool for projecting a point onto an elevated surface such as a ceiling corresponding to a predetermined point on `a fioor, comprising a first straight tubular member open at the upper end thereof, means supporting said first straight tubular member in a vertical position, a firing pin supported by said first straight tubular member internally thereof, a second straight tubular member slidably movable in said rst straight tubular member, said second straight tubular member being open at both the opposite ends thereof, a cartridge including a charge of explosive propellant and a pellet, said cartridge being supported in the lower open end of said second straight tubular member with said pellet being directed toward the open upper end of said second straight tubular member, a disintegratable fuse means supporting said second straight tubular member in a pre-firing position in which the lower end of said second straight tubular member with said cartridge therein is positioned in vertically spaced relation above said firing pin, said fuse means upon disintegration thereof permitting ysaid second straight tubular member to drop through said first straight tubular member to cause said cartridge to strike said firing pin to explode said propellant and to cause said pellet to be ejected through and entirely beyond said `second straight tubular member and into engagement with said elevated surface, and means carried by said tool for adjusting said first straight tubular member to a vertical position upon detection of any departure therefrom.

2. The combination defined in claim l in which said second straight tubular member includes `an aperture therein intermediate the length thereof to receive said fuse means, and said fuse means extends through said aperture and into engagement with said first tubular member to support said second straight tubular member in said pre-firing position in which said cartridge is posi tioned in vertically spaced relation above said firing pin.

3. The combination defined in claim l including a bracket member mounted on said first tubular member and extending vertically above the upper end of said tirst tubular member, and in which said fuse means is connected between an upper portion of said bracket member and said second tubular member to suspend said second tubular member vin pre-firing position with said cartridge positioned 'in vertically spaced relation above said firing pin.

4. A tool for projecting a point onto `an elevated surface such as a ceiling corresponding to a predetermined point on a iloor, comprising, in combination, a tiret straight tubular member open at the upper end thereof, means supporting said rst straight tubular member in a vertical position, `a firing pin supported by said lirst straight tubular member internally thereof, a seco-nd straight tubular member slidably movable in said rst straight tubular member, said second straight tubular member being open at both ythe opposite ends thereof and being adapted to support in the lower end thereof a cartridge, and a disintegratable fuse means supporting said second straight tubular member in a pre-iring position in which lthe lower end of said second straight tubular member is` positioned in vertically spaced relation above said tiring pin.

5. A tool as defined in claim 4 in which said second straight Itubular member includes an aperture therein intermediate the length thereof to receive said fuse means, and said fuse means extends through said aperture and into engagement with said iirst tubular member to support said second straight tubular member in said preiiring position. Y

6. A tool as defined in claim 4 including a bracket member mounted on said rst tubular member and extending vertically above the upper end of said rst tubular member, said second tubular member being provided with means on an upper portion thereof for securing said fuse means thereto, whereby said fuse means may be connected between said bracket member and said second tubular member to suspend said `second tubular member in said pre-ring position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 160,471 3/75 Robinson 33-161 454,701 6/91 Barnes 33-207 591,848 10/97 Kindig 42-55 1,086,679 2/14 McCartz 33-216 1,845,703 2/32 Field 42-55 1,845,801 2/32 Kupferman 33-189 X 2,219,990 10/40 Hagner 33-206 2,569,349 9/51 Smith 'S3-189 3,065,550 11/62 Pattiani 33--194 3,130,495 4/64 Schulte 33-1 SAAC LTSANN, Prinmry Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A TOOL FOR PROJECTING A POINT ONTO AN ELEVATED SURFACE SUCH AS A CEILING CORRESPONDING TO A PREDETERMINED POINT ON A FLOOR, COMPRISING A FIRST STRAIGHT TUBULAR MEMBER OPEN AT THE UPPER END THEREOF, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID FIRST STRAIGHT TUBULAR MEMBER IN A VERTICAL POSITION, A FIRING PIN SUPPORTED BY SAID FIRST STRAIGHT TUBULAR MEMBER INTERNALLY THEREOF, A SECOND STRAIGHT TUBULAR MEMBER SLIDABLY MOVABLE IN SAID FIRST STRAIGHT TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID SECOND STRAIGHT TUBULAR MEMBER BEING OPEN AT BOTH THE OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, A CARTRIDGE INCLUDING A CHARGE OF EXPLOSIVE PROPELLANT AND A PELLET, SAID CARTRIDGE BEING SUPPORTED IN THE LOWER OPEN END OF SAID SECOND STRAIGHT TUBULAR MEMBER WITH SAID PELLET BEING DIRECTED TOWARD THE OPEN UPPER END OF SAID SECOND STRAIGHT TUBULAR MEMBER, A DISINTEGRATABLE FUSE MEANS SUPPORTING SAID SECOND STRAIGHT TUBULAR MEMBER IN A PRE-FIRING POSITION IN WHICH THE LOWER END OF SAID SECOND STRAIGHT TUBULAR MEMBER WITH SAID CARTRIDGE THEREIN IS POSITIONED IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION ABOVE SAID FIR- 